Nāves Ciems
Nāves Ciems is a village in the Emeron campaign Location Nāves Ciems is located in the portion of the Brokenback Swamps west of the Long River. It is the home of a village of witches called the Nāves Sievas (also known as the Wives of Death). The village is populated only by women, all of which worship a being called Veļu Māte (also known as the Mother of Death.) The inhabitants of Nāves Ciems speak their own language, called Zakiss, though many also know the Trade Tongue. The village and the area around it is protected by powerful illusion magics that keep unwary travelers away from the settlement. Those few brave or stupid enough to ignore the fearsome illusions are generally captured by the women of the village and sacrificed to Veļu Māte. The main portion of the village is centered a town hall and a cluster of buildings where most of the basic goods and services the village has to offer are available, though many of the "residents" live a fair distance outside of the village center, yet still within the circle of protective illusions. All of the buildings of the village are wooden and are located on stilts and wooden walkways connecting them, as the swampy marshland is too wet and unevent to build upon. To travel to the homes outside of the village proper, the resdents have a series of small boats to row to their destination. Organization The Wives of Death are led by a witch that has the favor of Veļu Māte as determined and interprerted by their spiritual leader, called the Purvs Māte (which translates to Swamp Mother in Trade Tongue). This leader usually has more or less absolute control over the cult, though the word of the Purvs Māte carries an enormous amount of influence and disagreements between the two usually saw the leader backing down, being replaced, or being killed. The Purvs Māte is a witch of particular skill and devotion who is selected by a previous Purvs Māte to be trained by her. The Purvs Māte bonds with a very powerful pink orb called the Heart of the Swamp. This blinds her for life, but allows her to see visions of the past, present and possible futures with the orb. The Purvs Māte is the most respected and venerated person in Nāves Sievas society. Beyond the illusions, security for the village is provided by a group of warrior witches called Sargs, who provide protection from any dangers to the village. Events In the spring of 1159 Nāves Ciems became suddenly beset upon by numerous ills all at once. The good water had gone bad, the edible vegetation was dying, a plague swept through the village. Animals and sometimes even plants attacked the village damaging several of the buildings. The Purvs Māte was aware that it is someone turning nature against them, and the rough area where they were but the Heart of the Swamp ''was being magicaly blocked. Britta, the coven's leader, led a party of Sargs there but did not return. The Purvs Māte stateed that she saw Zenga, who had left to become impregnated, resolving the issue and defeating the source, though she could not see any details of how. She decreed that Zenga and a group of people linked to her would be nearby soon and should be brought to the village. Britta's daughter, Bolbjora, took command as acting leader and dispatched a group of Sargs to collect Zenga and bring her and her companions back to Nāves Ciems. The Purvs Māte privately told Zenga she knew that she had no intent to become impregnated or return to Nāves Ciems. She offered to perform the unprecedented act of allowing Zenga to leave the Wives of Death forever if she resolved the attacks on the village. Zenga and the Joined of Vesper agreed and departed for the area indicated by the Purvs Māte. Destruction Zenga and the Joined of Vesper traveled to the area and found that the source of the attacks was a druid named Farian, who was actually Zenga's father. Farian had met Zenga's mother, a Wife of Death named Treana who decided to run away, but the Wives came after them, killing Trana and their son Janis and mortally wounding Farian. Farian found and claimed a source of power that allowed him to control nature in the area and attack Nāves Ciems, though he could not directly control the animals in the village due to the ''Heart of the Swamp. Farian asked Zenga and the Joined to destroy the Heart of the Swamp so that he could control animals directly in the village and destroy the Wives of Death. The Joined of Vesper tried to dissuade Farian from his task, urging him to give up the power he'd claimed but he said he would not do so until the Wives of Death were all slain. The Joined reluctantly agreed to do so but only after eliciting a grudging promise from Farian not to kill any of the children in the village. Assisted by a Browncloak Druid named Audura who was sent to ensure Farian gave up the power he'd claimed, the Joined of Vesper fought the Purvs Māte, slaying her and destroying the Heart of the Swamp. Not trusting Farian to keep his word though they ran hastened to Nāves Ciems, which was five miles away from the Purvs Māte's cabin. By the time the Joned reached the village all of the inhabitants were dead, even the children. Only the mortally wounded Bolbjora clung to life, calling Zenga "the betrayer." Zenga called Bolbjora pathetic and finished her off. Category:Emeron Category:Locations